1
2019-2020|MiddleSchool Program Guide 4500 S Oxbow Ave | Sioux Falls, SD | 605.362.2777 | outdoorcampus.org
2
One of our most popular programs for middle school students is
Middle School Day.
Students spend an entire day at The Outdoor Campus, rotating
through 4 or 5 different stations.
Be sure to read the registration information.
Call (605) 362-2721 for more information.
The mission of Middle School Days is to provide an opportunity for
students in grades 6-8 to experience a variety of hands-on activities
that will enhance their own sense of place in the natural world.
In addition, they will be exposed to several skills common to South
Dakota outdoors, such as fishing, outdoor cooking, archery and hiking.
Scientific procedures will be used whenever possible; including
observation, collection, identification and evaluation are also taught.
Once classes are selected you will need to decide which activities you
would like in the event of inclement weather.
These classes are marked with an asterisk*.
Alternative sessions will be planned at the discretion of
The Outdoor Campus staff if needed.
Most activities can be taught individually if your class
was not selected for a MSD.
How Middle School Days Works
3
How many students can come each day?
The Outdoor Campus can accommodate up to 80 students each day.
Larger schools may need to come two separate days. Smaller schools can
combine grade levels to bring the maximum number or may be able to join
another smaller school for the day.
When are Middle School Days?
Selected Thursdays, see page in booklet for actual dates.
How long will we be at The Outdoor Campus?
Students will be at The Outdoor Campus from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm. During
that time, they will rotate through 5 stations, with the exception of a few
winter activities. Also included is a lunch break.
Please be on time as we start promptly at 9:30.
What are my responsibilities?
In addition to preparing your students for this experience, you must provide at
least 5 chaperones or at least one adult per station. The Outdoor Campus
staff will briefly cover the roles of your chaperones the morning of your visit.
Each student, chaperone and teacher must also bring a sack lunch. There is
not access to a kitchen for students or teachers at TOC.
How many times can I come to Middle School Days?
Due to the popularity of this day, schools are allowed to participate once a
school year. We do offer these days every season. (Fall, Winter and Spring).
Requirements
Because our building is funded by the sale of hunting and fishing licenses we
require fishing and archery to be stations for Middle School Days.
In order to have students full attention and engaged in our outdoor activities
we request all cell phones remain at school or on the bus unless needed for
a particular station. We have noticed that cell phones have become a
distraction in our teaching as well as being damaged or lost therefore please
abide by this request.
To Register for Group Programs:
1. Fill out the application form completely. You can drop it off at The
Outdoor Campus in person; mail it to 4500 S. Oxbow Ave., Sioux Falls,
SD 57106; fax it to (605) 362-2704; pull up our web
site at:http://gfp.sd.gov/outdoor-learning/outdoor-campus/east/
After submitting online you should receive an automated confirmation
email. You may want to call to make sure your application went
through to the campus if you did not receive the automated
confirmation email.
**This must be done by 5:00 p.m. on August 22, 2019 to get in the
first drawing. Any slots still open will be filled on a first-come,
first- serve basis.
School District calendar.
2. On August 23, 2019 beginning at 8:00 a.m., Campus staff will
select names randomly and number them in the order drawn.
The schedule for the year will then be filled in, beginning with
application number 1 and continuing until all slots are filled or all
applications are scheduled. Any remaining slots will be filled on a
first-come/first-serve basis.
3. Everyone will be contacted after the drawing and within the next few
weeks concerning registration. If you sent in an application after the
drawing you should receive an email or call about your request If you
do not hear from me, please call. I will do my best to get as many
groups in as possible.
Application Procedures
Introducing students to a lifetime sport such as
archery has benefits inside and outside the
classroom. This class will teach your students the
basics of archery in a fun and safe environment.
Getting kids active in the outdoors makes it more
likely that they will serve as stewards of our state’s bountiful natural
resources as well.
Middle School Programs
people all over South Dakota enjoy. Learn the
basics of fishing, necessary equipment,
casting techniques and how to bait your hook.
Then try your luck fishing in our pond.
*Wildlife ID (All year)
This session will focus on identifying South Dakota’s wildlife through
the use of skins, skulls and mounts. After students identify each
object, we will cover some of the adaptations of these animals.
Students will also learn the importance of wildlife, such as why the
state bird is responsible for bringing millions of dollars to our state.
The following options will be available for
participating schools.
Orienteering (All year)
This is a sport that uses a detailed map to select routes
while navigating through unfamiliar terrain. Orienteering
will help with your student’s map reading skills,
concentration and the ability to make quick decisions
about the best route to take. This sport can be enjoyed
by a walk through the natural habitats at The Outdoor
Campus or as a competitive race.
Middle School
*Skins and Skulls (All year)
Animal skulls can tell us many things about creatures and how they
once survived in their natural environment. A few relatively simple
observations of an animal’s skull can tell us what the animal ate,
whether the animal was predator or prey, and which senses were most
important to the animal’s survival. This activity will teach students
some of the differences and similarities among animals. Later, the
students will have the opportunity to put this new knowledge into
practice with a “hands-on” activity.
Haiku Hike (All year)
This hike is for teachers who want to challenge their students as
writers but also to enhance and facilitate outdoor recreational hiking
for users with varying skills and abilities. Students will use their
senses as they explore natural habitats while hiking around the
campus. Students will create a haiku using the information that has
been gathered on the hike. This is a great option if a language grade
is needed.
South Dakota’s wetlands are special habitats
important to wildlife and humans. We will
explore the ecology of our very own wetland
environment at the campus while looking for macro-invertebrates to
identify. We will also learn how pollution affects our precious natural
resource-water.
*Mystery Tree Challenge (All year)
Students will be introduced to basic terms of tree identification and
then be given a mystery tree sample in which they will identify by
following a series of clues posted around the room. This activity
introduces the concept of classification in a way that addresses all
learning styles. It works well for auditory, kinesthetic and visual
learners.
Wetland Ecology Part II (Fall & Spring)
This class can only be chosen in connection with Wetland Ecology I.
During Wetland Ecology Part II students will use GLOBE protocols to
take water temperature measurements along with water pH and
water transparency measurements. Students will use pH paper, an
alcohol-filled thermometer and transparency tube while conducting
these measurements. Hydrosphere Investigation is important to
document the chemical and physical characteristics of our water
bodies. Water is so important to life, also to document when and
where changes in our Earth’s water bodies are found.
8
will dissect an owl pellet to determine what was
eaten. The contents of a bird's pellet depend on its
diet, this can include the exoskeletons of insects, indigestible plant
matter, bones, fur, feathers, bills, claws and teeth.
Middle School
Students will participate in one or two team building activities.
Students will use critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and
communication in order to accomplish many of these activities.
Many of the activities come from Project Adventure or Project Wild.
An asterisk * indicates that this activity can be played outside only
during fall and spring months. Please indicate on application if
there is a specific game you would like to participate in with your
students.
3. South Dakota Jeopardy
9
Outdoor Cooking (Fall & Spring)
Whether you are cooking in your own backyard, at a picnic area or in a
campground, this session will focus on fire building, safety and the
“how to” of outdoor cooking. Students will make some quick and
easy snacks! (ALERT: This class does include peanut butter; DO NOT
sign up if your group has peanut allergies) Substitutions will not be
made.
*Native American Games (All year)
Go back in time and learn some of the old tribal games that taught
values to the many Native American cultures. Honor, respect,
courage, humility, persistence, tolerance and other skills are just a few
features of these remarkable games. These games teach skills
through movement, problem solving, patterns, estimation, intuition,
eye-hand or eye-foot coordination, dexterity and speed. These shared
survival and hunting skills use unique cultural expressions of the
different tribes and will bring out the best in your students and their
10
gear for an ice fishing outing. They will learn and
demonstrate safety precautions necessary for ice
fishing. Students will also apply the techniques of ice
fishing as they participate in an ice fishing experience
on the pond at The Outdoor Campus.
Middle School
and ski size)
cross country skiing, safety issues, and general know how will
make this activity a pleasant experience for all. Students will
focus on choosing the correct skis and shoe size, follow the
general rules of marked trails and staying on track as they
practice moving on the skis using very basic techniques.
Snowshoeing (Winter)
Snowshoeing is a great way to experience the outdoors in winter.
Snowshoeing provides not only a way to enjoy nature, but also has
physical health benefits as well. Snowshoeing health benefits
includes cardiorespiratory conditioning and the development of lower
body musculoskeletal tissue as well as several other benefits to the
body and mind.
Drawing Day=August 23rd
Special Events Teacher Professional Development
Our workshops will train participants to use Project Wild, Growing Up Wild
and Project Learning Tree outdoor education programs. These classes
qualify participants to receive resource guides and materials. These are
nature-based programs that relate to South Dakota Content Standards
requirements. This class is based on the philosophy that students who
have the opportunity to play and learn in nature are more likely to act
responsible toward the Earth and each other, be more physically active,
choose science or a related field for careers, become better informed and
environmentally aware adults and handle challenges and problems more
capably. Participants will have classroom instruction, an opportunity to
practice activities and engage in an outdoor field experience. In addition
participants will have time to construct materials to use in their classroom
during a make and take session. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
will provide the resources for Project Wild and are funded through hunting
and fishing licenses fees. Project Learning Tree resources are provided
by the PLT non-profit organization.
Register through Sioux Falls School District Red Apple Classes.
Keep your eyes open
“Teacher Resources & Critter Crates.”
___Bat Crate ___Grasslands Bag
___Binoculars Box* ___Land Navigation (GPS) Crates I & II
___Bird Box ___Mammal Crates A & B (similar contents)
___Camera Crate* ___Prairie Crate
___Endangered Species Crate
___Wetlands Trunk*
Requires a $75 check or money order reservation deposit to The Outdoor Campus
Deposit check will be shredded, or returned upon request, when crate is returned with all
contents in good condition.
Reserve early. Spring and fall months are heavily booked.
Any GFP employee can use a crate without paying the deposit.
SNOWSHOE CRATES*
(Must have 3 inches of snow on the ground before release)
2 Group Crates of 17 pairs each 3 Family Crates of 8 pairs each
Must be picked up, not mailed
Can be reserved by any adult for a period of one week
TOC needs a $75 deposit before the crate will be released
If you would like to see the inventory sheet for any of the crates listed above, call
362-2777 or email toc@state.sd.us.
Special Needs: (Please indicate any students with mobility, health, allergies,
disabilities or any other concerns.)
Circle the season you wish to attend:
Fall Spring Winter
1.
2.
3.
1. Fishing (Required) 1.
5. Archery (Required in Fall & Spring)
If you have not heard from me within a week please call Shelly at 362-2721.
15
Be a Volunteer!
Volunteer Opportunities By becoming a volunteer at The Outdoor Campus, you will experience a variety of opportunities that will increase
your own and other’s awareness of South Dakota’s great outdoors!
Examples include:
Front Desk Duty
How To Get Started!
1) Submit a completed application form on The Outdoor Campus website.
www.outdoorcampus.org
2) The volunteer coordinator will call to set up an interview once your application is received and
reviewed.
background check is completed, the volunteer
coordinator will schedule an orientation to get
you more familiar with The Outdoor Campus and
what you’ll be doing here!
4) Finally, after the orientation, you’ll be ready to
start volunteering! You will be able to sign up
online for whatever available programs you
choose.
16
Opening Day—June
How are these classes FREE? Our funding comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses in South Dakota. If you like our classes thank a hunter or an angler.
How can we support The Outdoor Campus? Buy a hunting and fishing license in South Dakota. Nationwide the sale of licenses in declining rapidly as we lose the Baby Boomer
Generation. They were the last large group of hunters and anglers. We need to replace the funds they put toward habitat, wildlife
management, conservation, recreation and education. Every single license you buy in your family helps fisheries, pheasant habitat, and so
much more—including The Outdoor Campus.
Do you get any other funds? We do receive some funding from a Federal excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment sales. A small portion of each fishing pole or
shotgun you buy can go toward hunting and fishing programs here.
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
provides sustainable outdoor recreational
opportunities through responsible management
fostering partnerships, cultivating stewardship
MISSION STATEMENT
Find us on Facebook @outdoorcampus Our Facebook page is updated daily. Follow us for the latest in outdoor news,
pop up classes and photos from our programs.
Find us on Twitter @outdoorcampus We’ve always got something to say! Tweet with us. We tweet back!
Find us on Instagram @outdoorcampus We post a lot of photos. Want to see what’s happening out here?
This is the place to look!
Find us on Snapchat @outdoorcampus Snapchat take-overs by interns? YES! Watch some of our activities
as they happen here!
Find our blog! outdoorcam-
pus.wordpress.com Our blog is a great way to find the story behind the story. Meet people, animals, see behind
the scenes photos of Game, Fish and Parks at work.
2019-2020 Full Time Staff
Thea Miller Ryan, director
Derek Klawitter, Group & Homeschool
Events Coordinator